The Peace Draft Horse Club has announced that another successful year of the Northern Spirit Light Show is in the books. Over $100,000 will be donated back to various groups in the community.

Twenty-five schools in the region indicated they required funding for their snack, lunch, and/or nutrition program, so they were each written a cheque to help fund that program.

Other recipients include: Mighty Peace Day, Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories, Stars, Red Willow Boys and Girls Club, Mountain Plains, 3D Charities, Seniors Outreach, Rotary House of Grande Prairie, Helping Hands, Rising Above, Victims Assistance, Evergreen Park, Grande Prairie & District Old Timers Association, Montagneuse 4-H Multi Club, and the GP Regional Hospital Foundation.

The Northern Spirit Light Show was so greatly supported by the community, it was a pleasure for the Peace Draft Horse Club to disburse proceeds back into the community.

“We really did not know what to expect this year for the Northern Spirit Light Show, not having the wagons, hot chocolate booth, and the fires. As soon as we saw people’s faces coming through in their cars, we knew we made the right decision. The pay-it-forward would stretch out for hours some nights, with people paying for the vehicle behind them,” says President of the Peace Draft Horse Club, Jody White.

“The support we received each night, with donations to the food bank, was heartwarming. We filled vehicles full of food, almost every night we operated, for various food banks in the area.”

Over 12,550 vehicles went through the 2020 Northern Spirit Light Show from November 18 to December 31, 2020.

The Peace Draft Horse Club says, “It was a little heartbreaking not being able to have the teams of horses and wagons at the event this year, not being able to have fires, hot chocolate and apple cider, or gather in the warmup cabin. With all the restrictions, it was still exciting to hear people’s reactions as they shouted from their windows upon leaving. Many people returned for repeat tours and expressed their gratitude for the event.”

Information provided by the Peace Draft Horse Club.